Controlling device for transmission-gears.



A. r. KRAUSE. GONTROLLING DEVICE FOR TRANSMISSION GEABS.

APPLIUATION F13-LED APB. 10, 1908.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1v.

. Pd.. di'. nu.. v4:

A. F. KRAUSB; GONTROLLING DEVICE POR TRANSMISSION GBARS.

APPLIOTION FILED APB. 10, 1908.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

x @Hiver ,UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE. ALBERT KBAUSEfOF BUFFALO, NEWRK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 CHARLES LADD, 0F

BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

GONTROLLING DEVICE FOR ".IRAIJ'SMIS-SION-CarE-ARS.

V@Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2.,`1909.

Application led April 10, 1908. Serial No. 426,181.

To allI whom it may concern:

Be it known that' I, ALBERT F. a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of vErie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Controlling vDevices for Transmission-Gears, of which the following 1s .a specification. i This invention relates to the controlling levers .or devices empioyed on automobiles for shifting the gears of the transmission or changeable speed-gear, the invention'having more .particular reference to a controlling device fortransmissions of the selective sllding-gear type. J I

The objectof my invention is the provision of a simple and convenient shifting device .of this character which is applicable to the steering post or column adjacent to the usual-steering wheel, thus' enabling the transmission to be controlled more conven- `iently than by a lever or other device located atone side of the automobile.`

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure 1 is a fragmentary lon- KRAUsE,

gitudinal section of an automobile embody- 2 is a fragmentary.

ing the invention. Fi longitudinal section o one of the shifting bars ofthe transmission, showing the catch for locllng it in its normal position. Fig. 3 1s a sectlonal top lan view of the trans- -mission and control lng devices, the plane oflthe sectional portion being in line 3 3, j

Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isaJ similar view, the plane .of the section being\\ in line 4 4, Flg. 1.

Fig. 5 is a 'fragmentary horizontal sectionv in line 5 5, Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections of the steering gear in lines'6 6 and 7 7, Fig.-1. AFig. 8 is a section in line 8 8," Fi n v1ew of the actuating lever of the transu mission shifting bars. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the steering gean, showing a mgdiied construction of the transmission and controlling devices. Fig. 11 is a transverse section in line 11 11, Fig. 10.

f `Similar letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the 4severall figures. i l A indicatesthe frame and A1 the body of the automobile. i

B indicates a'post orsupport consisting' preferably of the inclined tubular steering post or column rigidly secured to the vbody in any suitable manner, and B1 indicatesg. 6. Fig. 9 is' a rear` the steering shaft journaled in the post and provided. at its upper end with the usual hand-wheel Motion may be transmitted from this shaft to the shifting connections of -the front or steering wheels by any suit-l able means, that shown in 'the drawings including the usual worm b1 secured to the steering shaft and meshing with a.` wormV mission itself forms no part vof my inven-A tion, but is preferably of the selective,sliding gear type. That shown in the drawings by way of example is constructed as follows The main transmission shaftD is journaled in the case E in line with the driving shaft C and carries the sliding first-mediumspeed gear f which is keyed thereto and carries one member f1 of a clutch, the .other melnber f2 of which is secured to a gear pinion g rigidly secured to the main driving shaft (l), so that when the gear f is clutche to the gear -g the car is driven at the hi hest speed direct-1y from the engine sha C. This slidin gear has a grooved collar which is engagedy a fork f8 carried by the Vhigh speed and'tirst-medium speed shifting bar H.

I is a countershaft journaled inthe transmission case E and carrying a gear wheel 'el whichineshes constantly with the gear wheel g ofthe 4main shaft'C. This countershaft carries different sized non-slidable pinions 1,"a'2, "i3, the pinion 1 being'adapted to mesh with the gear f and the pinions 2 and is being adapted to mesh respectively with a pair of gears jl, j slidably mounted .on the shaft D. The two gears y', j are connected to slide together andare shifted by a fork jz engaging a collar of said gears and secured t-o the low-speed and second-mediu-mispeed shiftin bar J. Upon shifting this bar to the rig t, the gear jl engages with the pinion 2,'g1ving the second medium speed, while.

upon shifting said bar to the left, the. gear jengages withthe-pinion 3, giving the lowest speed. When the bar H is shifted t`o vthe right-,the transmission shaft D isV clutched to the main driving shaft C, giv' ino' the highest speed, while upon shifting said bar to the left, the gear f engages with the pinion il, giving the first-medium speed.

k indicates a second countershaft sup- -ported in the transmission case and carrying a wide slidable pinion k1 adapted to .be shifted into 'engagement with both the large gear 7' and the pinion i, when the gear j is 1n position shown in the drawing, for reversing the mot-ion of the rear, axle and L is a shifting or actuating member l adapted to engage with any one of the sevwhichit en ages is reciprocated in one orA Thislever is shiftederal shiftin bars H, J and K of the transmission an shift the samelongitudinally in one or both directions for drivmg the vehicle at the. desired speed or backing it.

This actuating member preferably consists of an upright rock lever swinging lengthwise of the shifting bars and fulcrumed upon a. transverse rod or pivot Z sup orted onthe frame of the vehicle and pre erably extending case, as shown. This lever is capable of sliding laterally onits pivotA rod l, so that it.

may be brought .in line with any one ofthe shifting bars H, J,.K, each of which is pro- "vided withA a pair of transverse lugs Z1 between whi'ch the lower end of the lever. is ada `ted to engage, the ever on its plvot, the shifting bar with theother dlrection. and actuated by the following mechanism M is a hollow rotary shaftor tube'surrounding the steerin` shaft B1 and .extending a short distance a ove and below the stationary post B; To the upper projecting lend of this tube is rigidly secured a bifurcated arm or bracket m to which is pivoted I so 'a vertically-swinging controlling lever N which also servesas a; handle for rotating the tubev M in the steering ost. At its lower end, said tube is provlde with a gear segment o which meshes with a lcorresponding segment o1 arranged at the front end of a horizontally-swin g lever P pivoted at p to a cross bar P1 o the main frame. At

its rear end thelever P is provided with a fork which embraces the grooved hub p1 of the laterally-sliding lever L. The tubular` shaft M, while free to rotate issuitably held against longitudinal'. movement in the post B.

i q indicatesa/second hollow shaft or tube interposed between the lpost B and thel hollow shaft M and capab e of sliding length- Wise in the post. AThis slidable Ytube is provided at. its upper end with an annularly across the top of the transmissionl so that upon swinging' .ing formed inthe segment for each of said grooved collar g1 with which engage the.'A pins 1t of a fork or yoke (n.1 formin the inner arm of the operating lever by which construction the sliding tube g is reciprocated in the steering post upon swinging said lever up or down on the bracket m.

vThe sliding tube g extends beyond the lower end of the steering post B- and to this projecting end is secured an annularly-grooved S indicates a transverse rock 4shaft jonrnaled on the main frame A on the rear 51de of the steering post, preferably above the^.

lever-P, and carrying a 'rock or elbow lever the -front arm s of which engages the,8'0V

ooved collar 1"., while its rear arm s1 yis con-' nected with the upper arm of the actuating lever L by a rod t. By this construction, the lever L is rocked on its pivot' upon sliding the tube .g up or down in the steering postl by means of the hand lever N.` In the referred constructionv shown in the drawings, the shiftable lever L is provided at its upper end with an extended transverse pin u which'` is secured at one end to the'lever and at its opposite end to a bracket u1 projecting from the side of the lever. This plm passes loosely through an eye t1 at the y ont end of the rod t,lso as to `slide' freely in-said eye when the lever is shifted laterally to brin ita-in' line with the desired shifting bar H, l connecting rod t while free to move lengthwise is held against lateral displacement by a suitable guide t2 carriedby the cross bar PlQand guide pins ts arranged on opposite sides of the rear portion ofthe rod and projecting from the top of the transmission case.

Any suitable means may be employed for predetermining the various ositions of the operating lever N and locking it in place. The devlce preferred for this purpose consists of a segment W carried by a bracket w n secured to the upper end of the steering post. .This 'segment is provided with a horizontal slot w1 through which the operating lever passes, and in the upper 'and lower ed esof this slot are formed pairs of main loc notchesfw2 in any one of which the lever 1s adapted to engage. Tliese various notches corres ond to the positions of the shifting bars J and K of the transmiss1on, a pair of upper and lower notches bebars and the notches being designated by approprlate marks or letters, as shown.

The lever is provided at one side" -with 'a 'i K of the transmission. The

their shifting lugs Z1 are in alinement, as shown in Fig. 5. Inthe construction shown in the drawings, each of the bars is provided with a vertically spring-pressed locking pin or Catch y guided in a hole therein and adapted to interlock with a socket y1 in a flange y2 of the transmission case. The spring ya of this pin bears u on its upper end and is .secured t6 the shi ting bar.

The operation of theiransmission controlling device is'as follows: In the position of the parts showlfin the drawings, the clutch member '1 of the Amain transmission shaft D is out of engagement with the clutch member f1 of the driving Shaft C and yno motion is transmitted from the last-named shaft to the rear axle of the vehicle.A If it is desired to drive the Car at a given speed, the hand lever N is first swung laterally in the slot w1 of the segment W and brought opposite the notch w2 corresponding to the desired speed, after which the lever isswung vertically, either up or down, into said notch. By the first or lateral movement ofthehand lever, the inner hollow shaft vM is turned in the steering-post and this movement is transmitted to the horizontally-swinging lever P which in turn shifts the actuating lever L laterally into engagement with the shifting lugs Z1 of the corresponding shifting bar H, J or K of the transmission, thus selectin the bar .which furnishes the desired spee By the second or vertical movement of thehandlever N, the outer hollow shaft g is slid lengthwise in. the steering post. By this movemenhthe shaft S is rocked through the medium of the grooved colla-rr and the arm s, and the actuating lever L is in turn rocked on its pivot to move the corresponding shifting bar in the proper direction to give the required speed. -Both of these movements ofthe actuating lever L are effected by swinging a single hand lever in different planes, and as t is lever is mounted on the steering gear immediately below the steer-v mg wheel, the transmisslon can be conveniently controlled. "At the same time the construction ofthe connections between said operating lever and the actuating lever L of the transmission are compact and do notf detract from `the neat appearance of.' the steering gear and their construction is so simple as not to add materially tothe cost of the car.

The hollow shafts pr tubes M and q, although surrounding the steering shaft B1,' l in no way f and that in both embodiments said actuators are moved by a single operating device with ,have no connection therewith an interfere Vwith its operation.

Insteadl of effecting the selective and' Such a modified construction of the device is illust-rated in Figs. 10 and 11 Where M1 02 adapted t0 mesh with a corresponding segment on the end ofalever similar to the lever P of the first described construction. The tubular shaft is free to slide through the bore of said segment and carries at its lower end a grooved collar r1 which corresponds to the collar r of the first described construction and with whichihe arm s2 of the rock shaft S1 engages, whereby the .lever L of the transmission shifting-bars is swung on its pivot, as 'in-the construction first described. 'In this modified arrangement, the hand lever N1 is pivoted at its front end to the projecting upper end of the tubular shaft M1 and fulcrumed upon a link or standard mzpivoted at its lowerend to a supporting ring m3 which is loosely seated in an annular groove formed in a collar m1 rigidly secured to the upper end of the steering post. It'will now be understood that upon swinging the hand lever N1 laterally, the hollow shaft M1 is turned, in the steering post and the actuating lever L`is properly positioned over the desired shifting bar H, .-'Jfor K, while upon swingin said hand lever ,-lvertically, the hollow sha is slid in the jfjsteering p ost and the lever L rocked on .its pivot, moving the shifting bar lengthwise,

as hereinbefore described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention. It will be noted that-:rin moving the hand lever laterally, the ringm3 rotates on the grooved collar mf thus forming a rotary support for the lever, while during the vertical movements of the lever said ring remains at rest and the lever swings on the fulcrum at the upper end of the link m2.

It will be observed that in both embodiments of the invention herein shown and described, the rotary gear-segment o or 01' and the s'lidable collar r or r1 are carried by the post M or M1 and constitute a pair of actuators for the shifting device or lever L, which are movable in different planes to' effect the selective and gear=shifting movements of said lever through the connections P and t;

which they are connected either by two concentric shafts, as in Fig. 1, or `by a single shaft, as in Fig. 10.

-While my improved controlling device is especially desirable in connection vwith the transmission gearing of an automobile, it

desired member and in another direction for operating the selected member, a post, and a plurality of actuators for said shifting device carried by said post and 'movable in separate planes ltransverse to each other,for effecting the selective and operative movements of said shifting device. Y

2. The combination with hiftable members, of a shifting device for said members movable in one direction for selecting the desired member and in another direction for operating the selected member, a post, actuators for said shifting device carried by said post and movable in different planes, and a.

single operatin device for'said actuators.

43. The comblnation with shiftable mem.

bers, of a shifting device for said members movable in one direction for selecting the.

desired member and in another direction for operat-ing theselectned member, a post, actuators for said shifting device carried bysaid post and movable in different planes, and connections between said-actuators and said shifting device, the actuators being permanently engaged with the respective connections.

L The combination with shiftable members, of a shifting device for said members movable in different planes, a post, actuating members forV said shifting device, one rotatable and the other slidable on said post, andmeans for operatively connecting said shift-1 having a gear segment, and a rotaryV shaft post and having a gear.

ing device with said actuating members.

5. -The combination with shiftable mem- `bers, of a shifting device for said membersmovable in different planes, a post, actuating members for said shifting device, one rotatable and the other slidable on said' post, and a single operating device for said actuating members. v

6. The combination of mechanism to be shifted, a shifting device for said mechanism Y m`ovable in different planes, a tubular post,f concentric tubes arranged 1n said post, on an l means for operatively .connecting said tubes ranged in rear of said post, one arm rotatable and the other slidable therein,

means for operatively connecting said tubes.

Post one rotatable and the other slidable therein',

device for said mechang withsaid shifting device, and a singleoperating device for said tubes. Y

8. The combination shifted, a shiftin device for said mechanism movable in iferent planes, a hollow concentric tubes arranged in said post,

means for operatively connecting said tubes with said shifting device,'said rotary tube having a fixed arm, and an operating lever fulcrumed on said arm to swing lengthwise of said slidable tube and'engaging the latter.

9L The combination of mechanism to be shifted, ashifting device for said mechanism movable in different planes, a hollow post, concentric tubes arranged in said post, one rotatableV and theotherslidable therein, the rotary tube being provided with a rigid arm and-the slidable tube with a grooved shifting collar, a vertically-swingingoperating lever pivoted to said arm and engaging said grooved collar, and means for operv atively connecting said tubes with said shifting devlce. l 10. The combination with shlftableA members, of an actuating device for said members movable crosswise Aand lengthwise thereof, a shifting leverfengagin sald actuating device, a post,a rotary sha journaled in said post, and means for transmitting motion from said lshaft to said lever.`

11. The combination with shiftable members, of an actuating lever for said members shiftable crosswise thereof, a shifting lever engaging said actuating lever and having a gear segment, a post, and a rotary shaft journaled in'l said postand having a gearsegment meshin with said lever-segment.

' 12. The combination with shiftablemembers, of an actuating lever for said members of mechanism to be shiftable crosswise thereof, a post, a horizontally-swinging shifting lever engaging .said actuating. lever and arranged'between the same and said post, said shifting `lever -the latter, and means for reciprocating said tube.

14. The combination with shiftable niggbers of an actuatinglever for said mem' s shiftable crosswise thereof, a tubular post, a tube slidable in said post, a rock lever arlever engaging said slidable tube, and a connection,between the other arm of said rock lever and'said actuating lever.

15..The combination with shiftable members,of an actuating lever for said members shiftable crosswise thereof, a shifting lever of said' arranged between said post and said actuating lever, engaging the latter and provided atits front end with a gear-segment, a tubular post, concentric tubes arranged `in said post, one rotatable and the other slidable l therein, the rotarvtube having a gearfsegment meshing with said lever-segment, a rock lever arranged between said postand said actuating lever and engaging said slidable tube, and a connect-ion between said rock lever and said actuating-lever.

16. The combination with shiftable members of an actuating lever for said members extended transverse pin, a tubular post, a 15 member slidable lengthwise in said post, a rock lever arranged between said post and said actuating lever and engaging said slidable member, and a rod connecting said rock'lever with the transverse pin of the actuating lever. Y,

Witness my hand this 7th day of April, 1908.

ALBERT F. KRAUSE.

Vitnessesr:

C. F. GEYER, ANNA HEIGIS. 

